Mapping Psilocybin-Assisted Therapies: A Scoping Review
medRxiv December 12, 2019 Ron Shore, Paul Ioudovski, Craig Goldie et al. 8 citations preprint
A scoping review of psilocybin-assisted therapy for addiction, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder identified 40 publications, including 9 clinical trials with 169 participants. Trials used a peak-psychedelic model with eyeshades, music, and medium to high psilocybin doses. No serious adverse effects occurred; mild effects included transient anxiety, nausea, and headaches. The trials demonstrated safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy for obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, treatment-resistant unipolar depression, anxiety or depression in life-threatening cancer patients, and demoralization among long-term AIDS survivors. The literature is early and exploratory, with only 5 randomized controlled trials, small homogeneous samples, blinding difficulties, and confounding psychological support. Further research with diverse patients and varied dosing is needed.